Balgonie Country House Hotel
Braemar Place, Ballater
Royal Deeside, AB35 5NQ
Tel / Fax 013397 55482
E-mail balgoniech@aol.com

Fishing; Golf; Walking; Pony Trekking; Castles and Museums

Walking is perhaps the number one activity in the region and few parts of Scotland can boast such diversity of terrain and landscape. The hill walker is well catered for with an ample supply of Munros and old drovers' routes through the Grampian and Cairngorm ranges.

Please find below a selection of walks, ranging from a three-mile ramble to a ten-mile hike. Each have their own idiosyncracies, so take time to explore the varied landscape that forms Royal Deeside.

The Seven Brigs
The lovely wooded countryside on Ballater's doorstep is the setting for this easy four and a half-mile circular jaunt over roads and good tracks. Taking in three rivers, a handful of burns and as much woodland as you can shake a stick at, this walk is a gentle delight. The first brig you come to, Royal Bridge, was officially opened by Queen Victoria in 1885 on the site of three others spanning more than one hundred years. Down river, the fourth bridge runs by Glemuick Graveyard where, near the gates, you'll find the faded tombstone of one John Mitchell and on it the dates 1596 to 1722 - a life lasting a remarkable 126 years. With seven brigs gone, you come to a most pleasant picnic spot - on the banks of the Dee, where you can raise a glass to the land where you live for a century - and one quarter more.

Start and finish: Station Square, Ballater

Deeside Railway
This gentle eight-mile walk follows the course of the old Deeside railway line and, as such, remains beautifully flat for most of its duration. From Cambus o'May to Ballater, the old line has been paved over and now walkers can recreate on foot the last stretch of the royal train journey as enjoyed by Queen Victoria over a century before. Along the way, with the breathtaking scenery a constant companion, you'll pass palliative waters, ruined kirks and ancient stones.

Start: Cambus o'May, just off the A93, a few miles east of Ballater. Finish: Ballater Station

Glen Girnock
Do not be surprised if the forbidden tang of illicit whisky carries to you on the wind as you walk the 10 miles through Glen Girnock. For this was whisky smuggling country, with no fewer than a dozen black bothies hidden away in the upper reaches of this beautiful glen. Although you'll be on good track all the way, you'll need strong shoes, and a strong heart - for on the summit of nearby Creag nam Ban, they purged the souls of witches at the stake. And, you can still hear their keening cry as the sun goes down and the wind picks up. One of the real pleasures of this energetic walk is the views it affords of Lochnagar and the even richer sight of the distillery which bears its name. Here is true reward for your day's endeavours - a wee dram to be enjoyed as you tour this, wholly legitimate, distillery.

Start and finish: Litlemill, a few miles along the B976 west of Ballater - park in the trees near the bridge

Morrone Birch Wood
This pleasant three-mile ramble will have you walking round in circles, starting and finishing at Princess Royal Park in the centre of Braemar. Morrone Wood is a designated National Nature Reserve and id one of the best example of an upland birch wood in the whole of the UK and is sign posted by a small lochan reached by walking up the town's Chapel Brae. Morrone Wood is a real treat for fans of flora and fauna. In early summer months, alpine plants form a soft carpet across the wood floor; as the summer meanders gently on, heather begins to spread its purple plumage hither and thither. And, rising gracefully above it all, the silver birch itself. If you're lucky you may spot a herd of deer grazing through the trees. The terrain you cover is mainly woodland track, which can become quite muddy with rain so you'll need a stout pair of boots or wellies.

Start and finish: Princess Royal Park, Braemar

For more detailed information on all of these beautiful walks, take a look at the HMSO publication, '25 Walks: Deeside' by Robert Smith makes for a hugely informative and enjoyable travelling companion.